MU's Haith looks at negativity as a positive

COLUMBIA | Frank Haith did not wait for the question to be asked in his formal introduction as Missouri’s 17th men’s basketball coach.

He sensed it hanging in the air. He grasped it. He showed it to the folk from the Show-Me State on hand at the posh Clinton Club at Mizzou Arena, and those watching on television and the Internet.

He felt lucky — coming off a 129-101 record in seven seasons at the University of Miami — to have a five-year contract worth $1.5 million annually at Missouri. But he wouldn’t apologize for having the opportunity. And if he needed to show that he deserve it, well

“I don’t look at the negativity that I’m hearing so far as a negative,” Haith said, scanning the crowd of reporters, fans, boosters and a representative group of the players Haith has inherited from former coach Mike Anderson, who left for Arkansas.

“I look at it as a positive. I want that passion. I want to win. I want to cut down nets.

“So I am not taking it the way that you may think I should take it.”

The first question that Haith fielded in Columbia mined that same territory.

How much responsibility did Haith feel to show the supporters of this program that he was the right guy, that the record at Miami was incidental to what will happen at Missouri?

Haith coached one Miami team to the NCAA Tournament. His Atlantic Coast Conference record at Miami was 43-69, which coincided, Haith noted, with his arrival at Miami for the first season of Miami’s membership in the ACC.

“I had to go to (the) head coaches meeting with Gary Williams (Maryland), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke). Hall of Fame coaches. In a league that did not welcome expansion. Expansion was because of football.

“The comments were made about Miami being the worst team to ever play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We went from people thinking we would not win a game to winning seven games our first year.

“You’ve got to understand where that program was when I took it over.

“We had North Carolina down 19 points in the Atlantic Coast Conference (tournament) and we don’t finish that game out. You’re doggone right my stomach turned.”

Miami lost that game 61-59.

“But also, I was really joyful when we had Virginia, was down 10 with 29 seconds left, and we come back and win that game.”

In overtime, 69-62, also in the 2011 ACC tournament.

“I stand here today with my head held high.”

Missouri athletic director Mike Alden had expressed much the same sentiment just moments prior to Haith giving voice to them. How tough it was for anyone to win at Miami. How much better it would be at Missouri, with the Tigers’ better tradition, better facilities, higher commitment to basketball.

“We walk that walk as we talk that talk,” Alden said.

Haith told a story that he said transpired as he was traveling by car with MU special assistant and former player Gary Link from Haith’s Columbia hotel to Mizzou Arena on Tuesday morning.

A woman Haith did not know got Link to stop the car and roll down the window, then said to Haith: “`Coach, I want to welcome you to Missouri.' "

Haith then reflected on his early days at Miami.

“I had spent a year at Miami,” Haith said, “and I had trouble getting into my office because they didn’t recognize me.

“I know I’m in a different place. I know I’m in a place where they care. And I appreciate that.”

Haith said a lot of things Missouri fans — even those who have been so vociferous in questioning his coaching pedigree — will want to hear.

How the Tigers have to play better defense, how much Haith hates giving up layups.

How if Missouri starts forcing foes to shoot more contested jump shots, that the forced turnovers that were the hallmark of Anderson teams will actually result in Missouri points.

And how Missouri needs another big man to help the team become what it wants to be instead of what it was in Anderson’s final year.

“In order to get where you want to be,” Haith said, “you’ve got to know where you’re at.”

It is the same way that Haith plans to approach the question of his qualifications for the Missouri job, with a concentration of accomplishment rather than the expectations of others.

Haith intends, he promised, “To not prove people wrong but to be who I am.”

Overhearing a comment in the crowd, Missouri’s new basketball coach jumped on it.

“Have faith in Haith,” he said. “I like that.”

This story was originally published April 5, 2011 at 10:08 AM with the headline "MU's Haith looks at negativity as a positive."